Korting op je uitkering… als je naar je werk gaat

Jobcentres will have the powers to dictate how many hours a claimant should be working to remain eligible for what are now called Tax Credits and Housing Benefit. Those without children, who do not have a health condition, will be required to spend up to 35 hours a week either working or taking part in work related activity such as looking for additional work or even attending workfare. Failure to comply will result in a sanction. The implications are chilling. Under the new rules part-time workers will have to attend a job interview with just 48 hours notice or their benefits will be stopped. This is likely to mean someone required to take time off their existing employment – at short notice – to attend a job interview somewhere else. If they go to work instead of the interview they could face a sanction. As anyone who has ever had a real job will know, this will place claimants in an impossible position forcing to them to make the choice between risking being sacked or sanctioned. And unfortunately their boss will probably find out they are looking for a new job whatever they do because part of their work related activity may include being mandated to set up an online profile to “draw attention to their availability” for alternative employment. Claimants should not face a sanction if they can demonstrate a “good reason” for not carrying out work related activity such as attending an interview. But no-one is likely to tell them this. Anyone who thinks that these new rules will not lead to people being sanctioned for going to work has not seen the ever growing lists of sanctions handed out to claimants for petty, inappropriate and sometimes even bizarre reasons.

Johnny Void in It Had To Happen. Soon You Could Face An In-Work Benefit Sanction … For Going To Work (Thevoid)